I have an 8TB External MyBook and one of my cats knocked it off my desk, and now when I try to use it, it won’t pull up, but I hear the tone my computer uses to recognize the other external hard drives. It doesn’t show up on the list of other external hard drives and when I run the WD Discovery software’s quick test, it comes back as “SMART status failed”. How can I fix this or do I need to have the contents transferred to another drive? I have many things that I need to keep on that particular drive for my work.
The internals of the hard drive are most likely damaged after the hard drive was knocked off the desk and landed on the ground.
Your only possible hope to recover the data is to send it to a professional data recovery service. Ask for a quote, and be sitting down when they tell you the cost.
Future advice … if you use a hard drive for storing important information eg. work data, family photos etc. Then it’s extremely important to keep a backup of that data on another hard drive in case one fails or is damaged due accidents.
Mark the 31st March on your calendar as a reminder.
I’m sorry to hear about the incident with your MyBook external hard drive. The fact that it’s not showing up on your computer and the SMART status test is failing indicates a potential hardware issue. Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:
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Connection and Power: First, ensure that the connections between the external hard drive and your computer are secure. Try connecting the drive to a different USB port or using a different USB cable to rule out any connection-related issues. Additionally, check if the drive is receiving power and try plugging it into a different power outlet or using a different power adapter if possible.
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Diagnostic Tools: You mentioned running the WD Discovery software’s quick test, which indicated a SMART status failure. This typically indicates a problem with the drive’s hardware. You can try running more in-depth diagnostics using WD Data Lifeguard Diagnostic software or similar third-party tools specifically designed for diagnosing and testing Western Digital drives. These tools may provide more detailed information about the issue.
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Professional Data Recovery Services: If the above steps do not resolve the problem, and considering the drive was physically impacted, it’s possible that there is physical damage to the drive or its internal components. In such cases, it’s recommended to seek professional data recovery services. However, it’s worth noting that professional data recovery services can be quite expensive.
Remember, if the data on the drive is critical and irreplaceable, it’s essential to handle it with care and seek professional assistance if needed. Avoid attempting DIY repairs that could potentially worsen the situation or lead to data loss.
